Dancer Spotlight: Madison Marsh
Photography by Edie Tyebkhan
1. Tell us a little about your dance background, how long you have been dancing, and what inspired you to pursue ballet.
I started dancing when I was 3 years old at Vonder Haar Center for the Performing Arts, and then started dancing with Pasadena Civic Ballet when I was 10 years old. In 2021, I was accepted into the Commercial Dance Conservatory at California School of the Arts – San Gabriel Valley (CSArts) and continued my high school education there. As a kid, dance was a fun activity to pass the time during the day, but as I grew up, dance turned into something that I could not live without. Pursuing ballet was something that allowed me to feel connected to myself and my peers. Ballet became a medium for me to feel and express the emotions that choreography conveys.
2. What are the specific challenges of portraying your character through dance in Little Women?
My favorite scene from Little Women is the Christmas scene at the end of the show. Throughout the scene, it’s so pivotal how close the characters are as a family, while it is also evident that there is something missing that once made their family whole. This scene is such a wholesome way to end the show—concluding the part of the story that needs to be told, while knowing the characters have more adventures to come.
3. How do you approach telling a story through dance movements and expressions?
In preparation for any character, I first try to get to know them as people—their mannerisms, thoughts, and motivations. This helps me see aspects of the character within myself and truly become them. That feeling of connection allows me to interact and react to others on stage more intentionally, making the storytelling feel natural and authentic.
4. What message or emotion do you hope to convey to the audience through your performance?
Through my performance, I want to convey the feeling of connection. Throughout the ballet, my character Amy feels intense emotions toward those around her. With this love, we see that she will always feel deeply connected to the people she loves. In Little Women, we get to explore how Amy and the other characters are always tied together—through love, family, and growth.
5. How do you work with the choreographer and fellow dancers to convey the overall narrative of Little Women through your movements?
The choreographer does a great job of telling us why we are doing something and what it impacts, while still giving us the freedom to make the narrative our own. I love paying close attention to how my fellow dancers interpret their characters—it allows me to shape Amy’s reactions and movements depending on who she’s interacting with. Together, with the choreographer and the cast, we create something that blossoms and evolves each time we perform.
6. What do you hope the audience takes away from the production after watching your performance in Little Women?
I hope the audience takes away that representation for women is something that deserves to be explored more deeply in stories. Because of this ballet, I’ve been able to play a character I might not normally have the chance to portray. I’ve been given an opportunity to be part of an amazing community, and I hope the audience can feel that this is not only a beautiful production—but also a family.
